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Here’s something to make us envy our mobile phone savvy friends in Japan yet again. The Sharp Willcom 03 smartphone was announced in Japan, and boasts an innovative interface heralded by a split touchscreen feature, wherein the lower part can switch between a key and a media button layout. This is in addition to the standard slide out QWERTY keyboard. Like we said, the Sharp Willcom 03 is powered by Windows Mobile 6.1 and as such, although not explicitly mentioned by Sharp and Willcom, it might come with pre-installed mobile office applications.

In addition, this phone offers a 3-inch touch screen display, powered by Marvell PXA270 processor at 520 MHz, USB, IrSS, Bluetooth and microSD card slot for storage expansion. The Sharp Willcom 03 will come in Pink, Gold or Lime and will be priced at around $611 once it hits the Japanese streets, which is expected sometime soon.

Product [Sharp Willcom] Via [I4U News]

Sharp and Willcom have delivered a tiny yet powerful device with the D4 UMPC. Boasting of being the first UMPC with Intel’s Atom Centrino processor inside, the D4 runs at 1.3 GHz, has a 5-inch LED back-lit touchscreen display with a 1024 x 600 resolution, 1GB of RAM, a 40GB hard drive, 2-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and a full QWERTY keyboard.

With a high-powered processor and memory, it’s no wonder that D4 comes preloaded with Windows Vista Home Edition. The D4 UMPC weighs just under one pound and measures 3.3 x 7.4 x 1.0-inches. Other goodies include a built-in one seg TV tuner and a memory expansion slot for microSD.

The D4 UMPC will be release to the Japanese market sometime in June for around $1,280 equivalent in Japanese Yen. It is configured with Japan’s PHS system for phone calls so it might take some time before it gets released internationally.

Via [Gizmodo] Via [AV Watch]

Your dreams have finally come true! Don’t want your pre-teen strolling around flashing a cell phone? Uneasy about saddling them with the responsibility of a cell phone? No problem. Just introduce them to the brand new Willcom Nico. Their begging and pleading for a cell phone will have to cease when you announce that this is the only phone you are willing to buy them.

These “fun phones” will be available July 13th and come in Blue, Green, Yellow, Pink, and Chocolate (say it isn’t so).

Read [MobileMag]